European Children's
Film Association
Association Européenne du Cinéma
pour l'Enfance et la Jeunesse
“Not a single Kurdish refugee has been accepted to Japan so far”Sarya and her younger siblings were born in Japan to a Kurdish immigrant family. They are torn between their desire to integrate and the attachment to their Kurdish origin that their father tries to implant in them. For MY SMALL LAND director Emma Kawawada says to be inspired by the Dardenne brothers, Ken Loach’s KES and Hirokazu Kore-eda.
“Exploring the neighbourhood on their own”9 year old Franz is the smallest kid in his class. On top of that, his voice often lets him down in stressful situations, leaving him with nothing more than a squeaky sound. In Franz’s life there is a need for creative solutions to the everyday problems of growing up. Until one day Franz falls under the spell of an influencer with reprehensible advice on how toxic masculinity can boost your success in life.
“Their fingers are their life”In an institute for the blind, we meet three kids: imaginative Zosia, sensitive Oskar and self-reliant Kinga. With endless respect, Polish documentary maker Lidia Duda delves into their lives. Until an unforeseen storyline bubbles up, telling of an overwhelming tenderness, a deep affection, and of a world in black and white where a small touch says all there is to say.
“I never thought I had so much focus in me”I am Yfendo van Praag, 17 years old and I DON’T WANNA DANCE is like a snapshot of my life. You discover who I am and what I do. My character Joey is taken from his family. He would prefer to live with his mother, but encounters obstacles: should he choose for himself or invest in their relationship?
“We were cool in our underground hideout”Root vegetables may not be the most elegant of all, but the title character in THE TURNIP looks beautiful. While the roots are teeming with hungry insects, a farming family tries with all their might to harvest the crop.
“A beautiful noise all over Bangladesh”In the most wonderful colours, Amitabh Reza Chowdhury’s RICKSHAW GIRL depicts all kinds of injustice in the villages and towns of Bangladesh. Naima, a young girl who wants to help her ailing father, encounters abuse of power, discrimination and social inequality while cycling the streets of Dhaka with her rickshaw.
“How social hatred was born in modern Tunisia”When 12 year old Gadeha has a traffic accident, his mother can’t afford the medical treatment and is relying on the help of a random family she meets at the hospital. After Gadeha’s recovery, he and his family move into the home of their benefactors, where he befriends his ‘new brother’ Oussama. However, the secret that Gadeha’s mother is keeping might disturb the fragile balance.
“A bridge between African and European art”A child, a buffalo and a beautiful mask are the ingredients of the animated short KUUMBA UMBO. Belgian-Russian director Ekaterina Ogorodnikova explains how these elements together form a story about an African boy growing up to be a man.